FAQs

CAMP WERK - FAQs

This is a list of frequently asked questions surrounding our products. We always seek to answer your questions in an easily understandable and straightforward manner, based on our experience. We ask for your understanding that errors may slip in even though all bits of information are thoroughly researched. After all we're only human ;-).

Got a question not listed here? Found an error? Or would you just like to tell us what you think about a specific product—please write us under Contact.

Typically not, because the specific pressure impregnation does away with that necessity— unless your tent has been exposed to particular environmental influences or to chemicals such as cleaning agents. The corresponding spots should after cleaning be re-impregnated using a waterproofing spray.

It's important to avoid using hairsprays, deodorant or similar sprays inside the tent, because the impregnation may be compromised by these chemicals.

Every tent comes with a small repair kit specifically for such occasions. The kit holds a piece of each fabric used for the tent. Together with a bit of conventional tent glue, this will enable you to swiftly repair most minor defects on your own.

Absolutely! We too put plenty of additional gear on the trailer tent: camping chairs, tables, folding dog box...which is exactly why the tarpaulin is a bit more liberally sized and features anchor points for tightening.

Our trailers are built and approved to EU directive requirements. In technical terms, this means they are approved for speeds up to 130 km/h. Unfortunately, the individual EU member states have their own speed limits for trailers. For example, the permissible maximum speed in Germany in 100 km/h, provided the weight ratio between the car and trailer is up to the mark. Additional information concerning the 100 km/h approval can be found at:

The keeping and parking of tent trailers in public traffic is permitted everywhere unless explicitly prohibited by the road traffic regulations or the pertinent signs. Parking lots marked with the "parking lot" sign may be used to park a tent trailer unless specifically prohibited by an auxiliary sign.

While parking, the camping gear may be used in the vehicle. Camping-type activities such as setting up a barbecue outside are deemed to be non-traffic, i.e. they should be eschewed when parking or putting up for the night.

Our tent trailers have a basic weight of some 400 kg, i.e. the maximum payload is nearly 900 kg. The offroad version can even handle more than a tonne, thanks to the higher gross vehicle weight. For all intents and purposes, the tent trailer only comes up against its limits when you cram it with bars of gold...in which case you should get in touch with us! Our team will lend you a hand ;-)

What matters to us is that our customers can enjoy the best possible sleep. For this reason, we offer the largest sleeping area in all of the camping industry. Further sleeping space for children or guests can be created using camp bets or inflatable mattresses. This gives you the possibility to customise your living area. For example, if the kids are old enough for their own nest or travelling independently, the area is perfect for a table along with a few chairs. A second fixed bed will sooner or later become a waste of good space, only useful as deposit space.

And remember: What was ok for us back in the day cannot be too bad for guests and kids

CAMPWERK's products are manufactured 30 minutes from the Dutch border, the Netherlands being one of our key markets. This means that utmost attention is paid to the wind stability of our products. We offer some of the most tear-resistant materials available in the market, thanks to the ripstop-reinforced (tear-resistant seams) and very heavy (450g /m²) fabric. Also, we do prefer good old steel poles over their lightweight aluminium counterparts, which bend easily even in not so high wind intensities. Steel, in contrast, offers perfect stability even when the storm comes down. This shouldn't create weight issues given the possible payload of 900 kg, meaning it's not a problem overdoing it a little in the safety department.

The support load is the load pressing down on the trailer coupling of your car.

With our trailers, the coupling load of an unloaded trailer is approx. 15 kg. Modern trailer couplings will typically have a permissible support load between 85 to 130 kg. The support load can be influenced by the trailer load. For example, if you put more load in the front than the back of the trailer, the support load will be higher, and vice versa. From a driver's perspective, a higher support load is better than a lower one, as it will improve the trailer's rolling stability.

The support load can be measured using a support load balance*, a premium stabiliser with integrated balance* or a rule of thumb estimate by trying to lift the trailer by the coupling. If you can negotiate just a few inches putting all your strength into it, you are either less then 85 kg or your name is Arnold Schwarzenegger, (in which case we might ask you for an autograph!)

Check your registration document for the permissible support load, which in some cases may also be stamped directly on the trailer coupling.

Many of our customers do appreciate the terrific spaciousness of the Family tent trailer. In case you set up camp only for a short while, you can just place the table and chairs in the big main tent and leave the awning alone. On the other hand, if you are going to spend more time in one place (more than 3 days), the feeling of roominess afforded by the awning will add to the experience. You are à deux, love touring and, if possible, would like to spend every single day someplace else? In that case we advise you to opt for the Economy variant, because being two persons will give you a choice, but being a family of five will not.

No worries: driving a trailer is fun! Our trailers are so compact you can still use the rear-view mirror and see what's going on behind. Its narrow width means there is no need for extended wing mirrors and, since the trailer is so short, it will mostly trail right in the tracks of the towing vehicle. Thanks to the specifically designed undercarriage, our trailers run smoothly even at higher speeds.

Rumour has it that young holders of the new B-category driving license may not drive trailers, or at least only trailers not exceeding 750 kg. However, we can put your mind at ease, since B-category license holders too are allowed to drive trailers, with a caveat: there are a few numbers in your registration document to be kept in mind.

Here's the short version:

Anybody may tow the unbraked tent trailer with a gross vehicle weight of 750 kg.

The recommended braked tent trailer with a gross vehicle weight of 1,300 kg may be towed if the towing vehicle has a gross vehicle weight of not more than 2,200 kg (field F.1).

What should I do if the numbers don't match?

Well...sad to say you'll have to scrap your car! Just kidding ;-)

No worries—we will gladly reduce the legal weight of your trailer if the numbers don't match. See the Legal Weight Reduction section for more info.

Too tricky? No problem? Just call our hotline—our customer consultants will work through the data with you step by step.

Congratulations! You've been caught, just like every other camper in the last years. Yours was a gorgeous, sunny holiday, with everything going fantastic, and then— comes the rain while you're taking down the tent. Some seem to attract this phenomenon as if by magic, while others pack up their traps days ahead of the holiday's end, just so they don't get into that forecasted bad weather front.

CAMPWERK's advice: keep cool!

Rain is nothing to be afraid of, and so long as you keep that in mind, everything is going to be much more laid-back.

- Always remember to have a thin hooded raincoat in the car. It'll be readily to hand when it starts raining during disassembly of the tent.- Close the windows before folding the tent to keep the moisture out.- The mattress and bedclothes, before folding, should be covered with the supplied, ample protective nylon cover to ensure that the bed stays perfectly dry.- Once back home, you can take your time to relax and put the tent on the backburner. Our recommendation is to set up the tent for airing on day 3 at the latest. - However, before storing away, make sure that the tent is thoroughly dry.

By the way: there is the belief that you can drive your camper or caravan home through rain without having to take care of things afterwards...you may want to check with a seasoned camper about this ;-) Both vehicles are typically equipped with large awnings or marques, which should be dried when back home just like the tent trailer itself.

Funny that we keep getting asked, "But what to do when it gets cold?". The answer to that question is very simple. From time immemorial, what we did when it was cold was to heat.

However, for some reason many seem to think that it's no use heating in tent because the heat will dissipate. Unlike houses, tents, campers and caravans have no insulation value. When it's cold outside and the heating is off, it will get cooler inside.

You might argue now, "sure, but this will happen much more quickly in a tent!", to which we would ask: "Sit in your car when it's autumn or winter, keep going for 20 minutes with the heating on and park the car once it's warm. How long will it take until it's so cold you can draw faces on the windows?"

In real life, it does not matter whether a camper takes 10 or a tent 5 minutes to cool down. What really matters is the fact that it will cool when the heating is off.

That's why we offer terrific heating systems for our tent trailers, which will keep your tent nice and warm even in snow conditions. CAMPWERK chiefly opts for electric or oil-based systems developed and tested for outdoor use.

Electric heating systems are the first choice for us! Compact, readily set up, adjustable and, thanks to campsite electricity flat rates, typically the most inexpensive option. There is no need for additional storage areas for a power supply. In addition, the small heater come in handy also at home, for example for a quick drying of the tent.

Oil and gas systems are recommended if you want to remain independent. Oil and gas are available from most DIY markets.

Our recommendation—never set out without heating!
Nights can be cold even in Italy, and nothing will then lift the spirits like a little warmth.

By the way, another benefit of a heater is that it will improve the tent climate to living room level.